Department of Health and Social Care

Contact Tracing: Coronavirus

Mr Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been contacted by the NHS test and trace system on each day since 1 June 2020; and whether those contacts were made by (a) operation of the relevant app (b) the Phone Bank (c) directors of public health (d) the NHS locally; and if he will publish that data on a daily basis going forward.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 15 June 2020



The latest information on the number of people who have been contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service was published on Thursday 6 August. This data refers to the first nine weeks of the service – 28 May – 29 July. The Department plans to continue to publish similar information on a weekly basis. Over the coming weeks, as the service matures, more information will be provided on a weekly basis, and details about what this will contain can be found in the future development section at the end of the report.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

John Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Question 46771, tabled by the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk on 13 May 2020.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 15 June 2020



We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Coronavirus: Wirral

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many covid-19 tests have been (a) administered in person and (b) posted out to care homes in (i) Wirral and (ii) Wallasey; and how many of those tests posted out have been returned.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 15 June 2020



We do not hold data in this format.

Coronavirus: Screening

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provision is being made to enable people without a mobile phone to order a covid-19 test.

Ms Nadine Dorries: People do not need a mobile phone to book a test. Tests can be booked online through the GOV.UK website or by calling 119 in England and Wales or 0300 303 2713 in Scotland and Northern Ireland from any telephone.

Coronavirus: Screening

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure people (a) who have difficulty with and (b) without access to (i) smart phones and (ii) other necessary technology can access covid-19 testing.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Those unable to access the internet can book a test by calling 119 in England and Wales or 0300 303 2713 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. An email address or phone number is currently required to book a test, but individuals who are not online can use a trusted proxy such as a family member to receive their results.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to respond to Questions 43048 and 43049 tabled by the hon. member for Central Ayrshire on 4 May 2020.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 16 June 2020



I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 43048 on 16 June.We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s Question 43049 will be answered as soon as possible.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it is a requirement for local authorities to deliver the results of care home covid-19 tests.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Local authorities are not the primary recipient of test result when testing takes place in a care home. If the test subject is staff member, the test results will either go directly to the individual or the care home manager if consent is provided by the staff member. For residents the care homes are the primary recipients. The test results also flow into general practitioner records, if a National Health Service number or other identifying information has been provided.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average length of time is for the results of covid-19 tests taken in care homes to be passed from (a) Public Health England to the local authority and (b) the local authority to the care home.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The vast majority of people who have a test through the National Testing Programme get their result the next day. Public Health England receives a data feed of these results after they have been processed by the labs and uploaded to the National Pathology Exchange, which occurs every 30 minutes.

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish data from NHS Test and Trace on (a) how many people have been traced and (b) how many of those people have tested positive for covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Statistics were published on 30 July. Between 28 May and 22 July 2020 – 43,119 people who tested positive for COVID-19 had their case transferred to the contact tracing system, of whom 33,472 (77.6%) were reached and asked to provide details of recent close contacts; 222,589 contacts were identified and of these 184,703 (83.0%) were reached and advised to self-isolate. Currently data relating to how many of those contacts have tested positive for COVID-19 is not available.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Question 43967 tabled on 6 May 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Question 48496 tabled on 18 May 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Question 521112 tabled on 26 May 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to Question 52116 tabled on 1 June 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Question 60793 tabled on 17 June 2020, when he plans to respond to Question 52116 tabled on 1 June 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of operating the Track and Trace app compared with operating the Track and Trace service by telephone call.

Ms Nadine Dorries: To date, the cost of developing the National Health Service COVID-19 app is £10.8 million. We will provide information in due course on the cost of the wider Track and Trace programme.

Coronavirus: Screening

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of locating covid-19 testing facilities in major train stations and transport hubs to ensure that passengers and commuters have convenient access to those facilities.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 02 July 2020



COVID-19 testing is generally only available to those who have symptoms. These people should not be using public transport and be self-isolating, unless driving to a test site.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Question 60786 submitted on 17 June 2020, when he plans to respond to Question 43967 tabled on 6 May 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 07 July 2020



We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Question 60787 tabled on 17 June 2020, when he plans to respond to Question 48496 tabled on 18 May 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 07 July 2020



We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Question 60792 on 17 June 2020 when he plans to respond to Question 521112 tabled on 26 May 2020 by the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s question will be answered as soon as possible.

Local Government: Coronavirus

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data the Government provides to local authorities on covid-19 infection rates; and what procedures his Department has put in place to help local authorities to respond to an increase in local infection rates.

Ms Nadine Dorries: All councils in England now have the ability to access testing data, right down to an individual and postcode level. They have been provided access to a dashboard by NHS Digital, with Test and Trace data. This means they know the numbers of people saying they had symptoms, as well as positive cases.Public Health England, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and NHS Test and Trace are constantly monitoring the levels of infection across the country, and will work with local authorities to implement additional control measures as appropriate.NHS Test and Trace is providing comprehensive guidance to assist local authorities in developing their own outbreak plans.

Israel: Contact Tracing

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on that country’s experience with track and trace technology during the covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Nadine Dorries: My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not met directly with his Israeli counterpart to discuss track and trace technology. We are, however, working closely with other countries through international forums such as the G7, G20 and the World Health Organization, as well as on a bilateral basis on a range of issues relating to COVID-19 including sharing learning on the development of the Test and Trace App.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of covid-19 tests ordered by Public Health England for care home or Housing with Care residents are referred to a private contractor.

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of covid-19 tests ordered by Public Health England for care home or Housing with Care residents and referred to a private contractor result in the patient being tested.

Ms Nadine Dorries: COVID-19 tests that are ordered by Public Health England (PHE) for care homes or housing with care home residents are not referred to a private contractor. Testing arranged by PHE in care homes or settings with social care service users is focused on identifying and responding to outbreaks and will use either PHE or NHS England laboratories.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much money from the public purse has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent to date on the (i) test, (ii) trace, (iii) contain and (iv) enable elements of the Test, Trace, Contain and Enable programme.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 16 July 2020



The breakdown of how the £10 billion allocation for 2020-21 has been spent will be published as part of the 2020-21 Annual Report.

Coronavirus: Screening

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason local authority Directors of Public Health were not automatically granted access to the National Testing Programme dashboard for their local authority area.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 16 July 2020



From 11 June, NHS Digital, with the support of the Department, made available an operational data dashboard – including counts of total tests, total positives and total voids per local authority - to Directors of Public Health. This was to support Directors of Public Health and local authorities’ operational needs while more detailed data sharing was being put in place. We are now making this even more detailed so users can drill down to Lower Super Output Area – on average 1,700 people. Public Health England began providing record level positive test data, including postcodes, to local authorities, including Directors of Public Health, on 24 June. As the information contained is personally identifiable, we do need a specific data sharing agreement in place with a specific named individual. Because of data protection, the users are typically the Director of Public Health. They are granted access once they have returned the data sharing agreement.

Coronavirus: Screening

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether local authorities are able to share postcode level Pillar 2 covid-19 testing data with local partners.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 16 July 2020



Data, including pillar 2 testing data, is provided to local authorities through a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA). This DSA grants the local authority data controllership so it is within their gift to determine how and with who they share it, ensuring compliance with the appropriate guidance.

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been contacted under the NHS covid-19 test and trace service; and how many of those people were approached by (a) Public Health England and (b) Serco employees.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 16 July 2020



Since the launch of NHS Test and Trace on 28 May 2020: - 29,962 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and been transferred for contact tracing, have been reached and asked to provide details of their recent close contacts; and- a total of 169,546 close contacts have been reached and asked to self-isolate. Of those close contacts reached and asked to self-isolate: - 37,468 were non-complex close contacts; and- 132,078 were complex close contacts. People who test positive for COVID-19 are contacted by NHS Test and Trace by text message, email or phone using health professionals recruited by NHS Professionals (Tier 2) and asked to provide details of their close recent contacts.People identified as contacts who are non-complex cases are contacted by text message, email or phone using call handlers employed by Serco and SITEL (Tier 3). Complex cases are followed up by local health protection teams, overseen by Public Health England (PHE) (Tier 1).An escalation process exists where cases can be referred to Tier 1 (PHE) for more specialist handling, where more tailored advice is given by public health experts, including those working locally in health protection teams. It is possible that a person identified as a close contact may have had their case escalated to Tier 1 and therefore handled by both Serco/SITEL and PHE.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish responses to Question 59732 on Coronavirus: Screening tabled on 16 June 2020, Question 57166 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing tabled on 9 June 2020, Question 53364 on Coronavirus: Screening tabled on 2 June 2020, Question 53376 on Coronavirus: Disease Control tabled on 2 June 2020, Question 51834 on Randox Laboratories: Coronavirus tabled on 1 June 2020, Question 51835 on Randox Laboratories and Serco: Coronavirus tabled on 1 June 2020, Question 48968 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing tabled on 19 May 2020, Question 48971 on NHS and Social Services: Protective Clothing tabled on 19 May 2020, Question 48383 on Coronavirus: Screening tabled on 18 May 2020, and Question 47240 on NHS: Contracts tabled on 15 May 2020.

Ms Nadine Dorries: I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Question 57166 and Question 53376.We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hon. Member’s questions will be answered as soon as possible.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for public health teams in local authorities to be provided with personable and identifiable (a) real time or (b) near real time testing data to enable a more timely response to localised outbreaks of covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 20 July 2020



From 20 July and to augment the standing local arrangements between Public Health England (PHE) and Directors of Public Health, PHE will share daily fully identifiable (including names) test, case and contact tracing data via a dashboard with Directors of Public Health to further support their investigation of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Coronavirus: Rotherham

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the capacity of covid-19 testing resources deployed to Rotherham to meet demand; and whether he plans to allocate additional resources to testing centres in Rotherham.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Testing is a key part of the United Kingdom’s response to COVID-19, and, following the publication of the Government’s Testing Strategy we have rapidly expanded our capacity.At present there are two mobile testing units in the Rotherham area, which have been well attended in line with the Director of Public Health’s strategy. However, mobile testing units are designed to be deployed on a daily basis.To give Rotherham a more sustainable solution, a three-month testing capability in the form of a local testing unit, is currently being commissioned. There is also a regional testing site at Meadowhall Sheffield.

Coronavirus: Wakefield

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on what date was Pillar 2 data on covid-19 testing provided to Wakefield Council.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Since 11 June, the Test and Trace service has compiled a detailed local authority dashboard which is available for all local authorities.On 24 June, the Government also provided access for all Directors of Public Health within upper tier local authorities such as Wakefield to secure postcode-level and individual case testing data. This is available to them at any time to access using their own unique authentication details.On 9 July, a letter was sent to all local authorities from the Department outlining the various sources of information, available to enable and inform local responses.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Anthony Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the (a) promotion and (b) sale of (i) unofficial and (ii) potentially harmful (A) thermography scans and (B) other diagnostics and treatments to people diagnosed with cancer.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Any equipment or diagnostic test that fits the definition of a medical device or in vitro diagnostic medical device must meet the requirements of the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (the MDR). Thermography scanning equipment for a medical purpose would be likely to meet the definition of a medical device and as such the manufacturer must hold clinical and scientific evidence to demonstrate the safety and performance of the device in relation to the claims being made for it. The manufacturer must CE mark the device in accordance with the MDR.The MDR do not contain specific provisions dealing with promotion or advertising of medical devices. The general United Kingdom legislation for advertising applies to medical devices. In addition, the provisions of the Cancer Act 1939 prohibit the advertising of products to treat cancer. There are currently no plans to review the provisions around promotion of products laid down in the Cancer Act.

Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients: Bipolar Disorder

Paul Bristow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 had a diagnosis for bipolar disorder in each of the last five years.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Information is not collected in the format requested.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that frontline workers are tested regularly for covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Frontline workers in health and care settings are in persistent close contact with a constantly changing number of potentially infectious people. This puts them at higher risk of infection, and we have extended testing to them regardless of whether they have symptoms, because doing this will help protect the people they care for. Regular asymptomatic testing is best conducted through a sample of staff enrolled in surveillance studies – for National Health Service staff this will be Public Health England’s SIREN study.On 10 July, the Government also rolled out a pilot to test people without symptoms working in high-contact professions, such as taxi drivers, cleaners and sales assistants.

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many instances of the misuse of coronavirus test and trace data have been reported to the Information Commissioner since regulations were introduced in England.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 22 July 2020



Since the introduction of the Coronavirus Act 2020 there have been five instances where the Department as data controller have reported a data breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the NHS Test and Trace system will be published.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 22 July 2020



A Data Protection Impact Assessment is currently in development for the National Health Service Test and Trace programme as a whole. It will continue to evolve and be kept under constant review as the programme develops. The NHS Test and Trace programme is committed to the highest ethical and data governance standards and we will continue to publish privacy information for the public setting out clearly the bases on which NHS Test and Trace is collecting personal data and the purposes for which it will be used.

Sodium Valproate

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review by Baroness Cumberlege, what the planned timescale is for implementing recommendations 1,2,3 4, and 6 of that report with regard to sodium valproate.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is working with stakeholders to improve compliance with the valproate Pregnancy Prevention Programme which aims to rapidly reduce and eventually eliminate pregnancies exposed to valproate. The MHRA is also working on developing a valproate registry, the main aims of which would be to monitor the use of valproate in girls and women in the United Kingdom and compliance with the current regulatory position, and to identify and monitor any children born to women on valproate.The Department is carefully considering the recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review and will respond in due course.

Medical Treatments: Costs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment was undertaken by NHS England’s Clinical Priorities Advisory Group to inform understanding of the patient perspective when considering reimbursement for a new treatment.

Ms Nadine Dorries: In 2019, the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) trialled the use of patient impact reports as part of the background information shared with panel members. This information was not considered as part of the decision-making process, but supported CPAG members to more fully understand the conditions being discussed.The reports had a mixed reception with a number of stakeholders declining to take part for different reasons, as outlined in the announcement from the previous prioritisation round which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/November-2019-prioritisation-decisions.pdfNHS England and NHS Improvement are currently testing an alternative way to incorporate information on patient impact, with policy working groups drafting an initial report that is open to comments from patients, carers and clinicians when it is sent out for stakeholder testing. These reports will be tested for the first time at the CPAG prioritisation in November 2020.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of introducing health passports as part of its (a) economic recovery strategy and (b) pre-second covid-19 wave contingency planning.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We first need to improve our understanding of the science around immunity in order to fully understand the potential of certification to facilitate a return to the ‘new normal’ and as part of pre-second COVID-19 wave contingency planning.In order to gain answers to critical questions, the United Kingdom Government is conducting some of the biggest seroprevalence surveys in the world. This includes using lab-based tests to monitor the number of people that are presenting an antibody response and how this response changes over time. The UK Government is also closely monitoring the results from clinical trials of candidate COVID-19 vaccines to determine their efficacy and the immune response they generate.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of introducing a documented immunity and vaccination status for covid-19 via a health passport on (a) the operation of the Government's air-bridge system and (b) the UK's economic resilience and efficiency as it recovers from the covid-19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We first need to improve our understanding of the science around immunity in order to fully understand the potential of certification to facilitate a return to the ‘new normal’ – including to enable increased travel without the need to quarantine and increased economic activity.In order to gain answers to critical questions, such as those relating to immunity to COVID-19 following infection with the virus, the United Kingdom Government is conducting some of the biggest seroprevalence surveys in the world. This includes using lab-based tests to monitor the number of people that are presenting an antibody response and how this response changes over time. The UK Government is also closely monitoring the results from clinical trials of candidate COVID-19 vaccines to determine their efficacy and the immune response they generate.